Media Studies

      For class this week I have read both of the provided essays, Encoding/Decoding and Technology and Society. I found the first essay difficult to read and understand. I got a sense that it was about how people interpret the messages in media, especially television, and how these messages are influence by their own personal connotations and culture. The best example in my opinion was the sweater example. Seeing someone wearing a sweater can be interpreted by the audience that cold is coming or a feeling of wearing warmth depending on the situation. The actor is not literally saying "It's cold outside!" or "This sweater is keeping me warm" but as a viewer we can infer that immediately from the visuals.

      The second essay focused much more on television itself and how it has changed society since its introduction. For me, I have found the television discussion to be a very annoying debate. Personally, I really miss having a television when I'm at college. I watch available shows on my computer, but it isn't the same experience. I actually have less motivation to tune into shows if I don't have a television to watch it on.

    To me, television is just another form of entertainment. I find it not much different from listening to music or reading books. I spend just as much time doing those things as watching television shows. The main plus to television that appeals to me is that I can have it on in the background when I'm multitasking. It keeps my mind active, and inspires me with new ideas. I like to watch a lot of documentary style shows, fantasy/supernatural themed shows and cartoons. As an artist, I feel like these are all beneficial to my personal growth and inspiration, while also being a source of entertainment. I won't deny I don't have a few shows I watch solely for entertainment (Hell's Kitchen being one of them) but I watch it KNOWING its a staged show. It's basically watching a weekly play about crazy chefs.

   Aside from its entertainment purposes, I have first hand experience with knowing how disconnected you can become from the world without television/internet. A few years ago my Mom, brother and I had to live in a tiny cottage (the whole thing was about the size of a dorm room) that had no cable and the weakest internet connection (you were lucky to get on for an hour). I pretty much had the worst case of cabin fever. I didn't know what the news was, I had no clue what movies were coming out or what my friends were up to.

 It. Was. Awful.

When we were finally able to afford an apartment, the first thing we did was get cable and plug in the TV. I have a hard time believing it when someone scoffs at the idea of technology and prides themselves in being able to live a life without television, internet or a phone. I find it ridiculous when people struggle to live in the past (as if the past is always better then the present?)

I think that television is a great thing, as is the internet. I feel that all this technology, whether its invention was intended for scientific reasons or not, has made people even more connected then they were before and its for the better. Without this technology, without the creation of television or the internet, I would not have met other artists around the world on social communities like tumblr. I would be far less cultured then I am today, because I can read the articles about someone's life in a different country and their first hand experience.

Here's a great info graphic I found that I feel is relevant to this subject:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/cconnelly/the-world-without-the-internet-s3x

Wes Anderson

For the assignment this week, I chose to analyze three films by Wes Anderson: The Darjeeling Limited,  Bottle Rocket  and Moonrise Kingdom.  I watched Moonrise Kingdom over this past winter break and fell in love with the film. It's a quirky "first love" love story between a young boy at summer camp and girl. If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend giving it a shot, its an excellent movie!

When comparing these three films together, the first most notable similarity that struck me was Anderson's use of specific actors. Owen Wilson and Bill Murray have played a part in two out of the three films I watched (and Bill Murray has played a role in every one of Wes Anderson's movie but Bottle Rocket.) These actors lend themselves perfectly to Anderson's film style that is a blend of quirky comedy and romantic drama.

Visually, these three films I watched all shared in a similar faded/warm color palette. Everything has a soft dated feel to it, and the acting feels very realistic (despite how unrealistic the plot line may be getting). Anderson also uses a lot of contrast in his camera work. A beauty shot can instantly cut to a wide shot. We could stay with one camera for a very long time, and then suddenly cut to several cameras in a row. In Bottle Rocket, there is a scene where one of the Owen brothers is on the phone, and as the phone rings, we cut several times to all different places in the motel where the phone is ringing.  He also uses a lot of quick camera pans to get from one part of the story to the next, and I also noticed that he likes to do extreme closeups of still objects (and many of these are top down angles.)

Here is an awesome compilation video that shows several examples of his iconic top down shots:


Wes Anderson // From Above from kogonada on Vimeo.


The majority of his staging is very flat and centered which lends to an exaggerated stiffness, and that we are up close and personal with the actors. During my concept class we were always taught to keep wary of the rule of thirds, and crossing the 180. Wes Anderson bends and breaks these rules throughout most of the films I watched! A lot of dialogue scenes are center stage, with the actors barely looking into the audience's eyes.

I feel that Wes Anderson's films have a very personal point of view. The subject matter of all the films I watched are focused on broken families and relationships and the struggles of getting through life together. I personally feel that his films are conveying a message that while life is a strange and bizarre struggle we are still able to find the comedy and romance in it.

Another point of view Anderson might be suggesting through his films is the importance of nostalgia. A lot of his films have this home video, 60s vibe (and the music definitely accentuates this.) Sometimes I feel like I'm looking through a time capsule into another person's life and watching their story

Whatever his true view point may be, I really enjoy Wes Anderson's films and I am excited for when The Grand Budapest Hotel is released.

Screenplay- Ed Wood

I chose to read the screenplay of Ed Wood specifically because it was directed by Tim Burton, and I am a huge fan of his movies. I haven't seen the movie before (or even knew anything about it) other then Johnny Depp played the role of Ed Wood. I avoided googling the book until I had finished reading. The screenplay was hilarious and heartfelt at the same time, and I really enjoyed reading it!

I took this assignment on as the role of an Art Director, and jotted down some quick notes/ideas as I read the screenplay (I'll further embellish these ideas tomorrow):

-Have the movie filmed in black and white, reminiscent of the old horror movies
  
   -Or have the movie filmed in color, but during the sequences where they are filming the movies or are on the sound stages, it would be in black and white.

-Ed Wood in drag, Bella and his friends other friends would be very dramatically costumed. Sequences with the group would be wild and fun, to contrast the static and dull everyday people and businessmen that surrounded Wood's life. When Ed Wood is wearing men's clothing, he would appear very monotone/static like the others. Contrast between these two "worlds" is important to show in the film stylistically!

-Any camera moves/cuts and transitions can call back to old film techniques. No CG!

(Will continue this list later...)